Death God: Starting from Refining Essence into Qi

Time flies, and the water flows silently.

The Kido-shu Yorozuya has been based in the West 20th Ward for a year. The once desolate and dilapidated outlying plot of land has long since shed its bleak appearance and is now thriving with vitality through daily labor and stability.

The warm sun spread across the entire settlement, with neat wooden houses scattered about. A breeze swept through the eaves, carrying the soft, rustic vibrations of the wood. The wandering souls by the well went about their tasks in an orderly fashion, while tools and supplies in the warehouse were neatly categorized and arranged. The wandering souls, once homeless and with dull, listless eyes, now possessed a deep-seated resilience and tenacity in their gaze.

In the open space of the courtyard, Xuanzheng stood guard to the side, protecting the newcomer who was practicing the Ghost Path, in order to prevent any accidents from happening.

In the center of the courtyard, the one-armed youth held a rough account book, his fingertips tracing neat handwriting. He quickly walked to Xuan's side and bowed to report.

"Lord Xuan, in the past week, seven wandering souls in the surrounding area have submitted applications for citizenship. They are all commoner wandering souls who have suffered from turmoil and oppression. Half of them are literate and skilled in manual labor such as carrying and chores. Their character has been preliminarily verified."

Xuan's gaze fell upon the group of people diligently cultivating in the arena. His expression was calm, and his voice was gentle and steady: "Register them. Follow the established rules and calculate points based on their work. Past grudges will not be investigated. From the date of registration, you must strictly abide by the rules of the Odd Jobs Shop."

"Understood, sir." The one-armed youth nodded in response, holding the account book as he slowly retreated.

The Yorozuya continues to expand steadily. It's no longer just those who survived the disaster; the entire West 20th District, and even the more peripheral areas, are filled with displaced commoners trapped in the chaos and turmoil of Rukongai, all drawn by its reputation.

I don't seek wealth or fame, I only desire a piece of land where I can stand safely under the protection of death. I want to earn a living through my own strength, without stealing, robbing, or cheating, without having to depend on others.

The work and cultivation in the courtyard proceeded in an orderly manner, creating a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere. Just then, an extremely light, clean, and efficient spiritual pressure suddenly pierced the sky, sweeping in from the east.

Xuan sensed the familiar spiritual pressure and recognized the person.

The next instant, a figure dressed in Shinigami robes landed steadily in a secluded corner of the courtyard. Shihouin Sennichi was without any guards, clearly having slipped away on his own to come here.

He reached out and took out a thick stack of banknotes, handing them to Xuan in a casual and carefree tone: "Long time no see, Xuan. I've brought you the share of the pencil profits from this year."

Xuan lowered his eyes slightly and did not reach out to accept the money: "I have already left the Four Maple Academy, so you don't need to give me this share anymore."

"An agreement is an agreement, and there's no reason to break it." Qianri raised an eyebrow slightly, directly stuffing the money into his hand, her attitude firm and brooking no refusal. "The pencil was made by you; I'm just responsible for the sales channels. It's a win-win business partnership, and this is your due reward. It won't end because of your departure, and the Shihouin family doesn't want to lose their noble pride over some money. I traversed the Rukongai, using Shunpo all the way; there's no reason for me to return empty-handed."

Xuan looked at the heavy sum of money in his palm and had no choice but to accept it. He said softly, "Stay and rest for a while. I'll prepare some tea."

"No need." Qianri smiled and shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the orderly settlement, his eyes full of approval. "Everyone here has work to do and a place to live, and the area is thriving. This is the best scene. It's not easy for me to leave the tribe, so I can't stay any longer. I'll take my leave now."

Before he finished speaking, his figure blurred, and his sharp and light spiritual pressure instantly dissipated into the sky. He came and went like the wind, swift and decisive.

Saito, who had been leaning listlessly against a wooden pillar by the courtyard wall, suddenly stood up. She had just sensed that spiritual pressure; its speed was now comparable to her own under the enhancement of her Shikai. Instinctively, she rushed out, but sensed that Gen had not clashed with it.

Saito walked to Gen's side, only to find that the man had already left. He asked, "Who was that spiritual pressure just now? It felt even stronger than the ponytail-wearing Shinigami we encountered before."

"Shihōin Senri is my sworn brother. It's normal that he's stronger than Obana Danjirō, after all, he's the young master of the Shihōin family." Gen answered truthfully, his expression calm and unwavering.

Saito scoffed at this, his tone carrying his usual arrogance, yet concealing a hint of barely perceptible awkwardness: "That's strange. The future head of the Shihouin family would actually go out of his way to find you, a Shinigami who has severed his surname and left his family. Unlike me, since I left the family, I've completely lost contact with them."

Throughout her life, she despised constraints, rules, and aristocratic formalities. When she fled at all costs, she personally severed all family ties. Although she seemed carefree and unrestrained, she ultimately harbored a secret resentment that no one knew about.

Xuan calmly stated, "So you have never written to or contacted your family or relatives."

"What's the point of contacting them?" Saito turned his head and looked at the empty streets, his tone sharp. "Go back to those rigid etiquettes, accept an engagement with someone you've never met, be trapped in a small courtyard, and become a tool for decorating the family's image? Rather than that, it's better to ignore them completely and be free."

Xuan didn't argue, but simply nodded: "Since we have nothing better to do, how about a friendly spar?"

These words struck a chord with Saito, and a fierce fighting spirit instantly ignited in her eyes. She swiftly drew her dagger from her waist: "Just what I wanted!"

The two moved to the open woods outside the settlement. They didn't fight with all their might, nor did they hold back; they simply sparred and practiced day after day, refining their techniques and adaptability.

Saito swayed and launched the first attack. She lightly touched the ground with her toes, instantly disappearing from her original spot, and the next moment she appeared in mid-air—the spiritual particles under her feet formed a temporary foothold, and she used the force to accelerate a second time, swooping down, her Zanpakuto slashing towards Gen's face with a whooshing sound.

Xuan neither dodged nor avoided, but raised his hand and pointed to the sky.

【Hado Chapter 58: Khotan】

A violent whirlwind erupted from below, its destructive power weak, but its wide range and swirling airflow enough to throw targets in the air. Saito's diving figure was caught head-on by the whirlwind, causing him to lose his balance in mid-air. When he landed, he was already more than twenty meters away from Gen.

"What kind of move is that!" After landing, she spat out a leaf that had been blown into her mouth by the wind, and her purple eyes under the blindfold churned with a surge of fighting spirit.

Taking advantage of Saito's unsteady landing, Gen retreated to create distance while his fingers made a loose fist—

[Hado #63: Thunder Roar Cannon]

The lightning, unleashed without incantation, coalesced into a single line, instantly piercing a gap of over twenty meters. The purple-white arc of electricity, accompanied by a deafening roar, hurtled straight towards Saito's face. He used only the minimum amount of spiritual power in this attack, his intention not to inflict damage, but rather to test the speed and disruptive effect of his strike in actual combat.

Saito, however, neither dodged nor evaded, raising her arm to take the lightning strike head-on. The arc of electricity danced on her arm for a moment before dissipating on its own, leaving only a few scorch marks on her sleeve. Her Zanpakuto, Shiden, inherently possessed lightning attributes, and the stimulation of lightning during her usual sparring had already given her a considerable level of lightning resistance. This level of lightning roar only slowed her down by half a beat at most.

But the key is precisely this half-beat.

The instant the lightning exploded, he had already used the lightning and residual spiritual energy as cover to quietly release [Binding Spell #62: Hundred-Step Barrier]. A silver barrier slid silently along the ground, heading straight for Saito's knees—she was charging forward carrying the lightning, her spiritual senses disturbed by the residual shockwaves of the Thunder Roar Cannon, and should not have had time to notice it.

However, Saito did not pause for a moment. Instinctively, she swung her Zanpakuto downwards, and with a crisp "clang," the silver-white light barrier was precisely struck down, turning into spiritual fragments that dissipated at her feet.

"That was a sneaky move, but it was too slow." She grinned, biting her tongue, her left eye curving dangerously beneath the blindfold.

Xuan silently noted: The concealment of the [Hundred Steps Railing] will be hampered by the aftershocks of spiritual pressure when continuously releasing the Ghost Path, requiring a stronger camouflage technique.

He didn't have time to think. Even though he only infused each attack with the minimum amount of spiritual power, continuously casting high-level ghost techniques still left him with a brief period of spiritual power vacuum.

A direct confrontation is not an option. Xuan used his Instant Step technique to move rapidly while manipulating low-level ghost techniques to weave and intercept.

After several rounds of dodging, Saito finally seized an opening and closed in. She grinned, almost touching Gen's face, and her Zanpakuto, Shiden, crackled with lightning, slashed at his waist from below. Gen pushed off with his foot, using Shunpo to create distance again, the blade barely grazing the hem of his clothes.

Saito glared at his retreating figure, then laughed angrily, "All you do is run away? Why don't you fight me up close!"

Xuan did not answer. He expressionlessly threw a [Binding Technique Four: This Rope] at her, and continued to retreat.

Saito cleaved the light rope in two with a single stroke, his purple hair practically exploding with rage.

So both of them activated Instant Step, one running and the other chasing, leaving two afterimages that kept turning back and forth in the forest clearing. The wind howled, the spiritual pressure flickered, and a flock of birds in the treetops were startled into flight.

The setting sun finally sank behind the western mountain ridge, its afterglow painting the world in a dusky yellow hue.

Gen stopped and turned around. Saito stopped almost at the same time, bending over and panting heavily, his bangs sticking to his cheeks with sweat.

The two stopped their attack in tacit agreement and walked back side by side.

The evening breeze swept through the woods, dispersing the lingering spiritual energy fluctuations from the fierce battle. Silence descended, broken only by the rustling of footsteps over fallen leaves and the occasional distant bird call.

Suddenly, Saito slowed her pace by half a beat. She fell half a step behind Gen, and silently raised her right hand, fingers spread—to slap Gen's buttocks.

"Smack."

It wasn't a dull thud like hitting flesh. It was a very hard, completely still touch.

Saito's smile froze on his face.

Xuan didn't turn around. A thin layer of spiritual energy barrier covered his back—[Binding Path Eight: Repulsion]. The hand that intended to launch a sneak attack landed squarely on it, without even touching the hem of his clothes.

"A sneak attack? Not a bad choice, but the location is poorly chosen." Xuan suddenly had a sense of déjà vu, as if he remembered someone saying something like, "The rear is a creature's biggest blind spot. Do you think I would leave it undefended?"

Saito withdrew his hand, shook his numb fingertips, and muttered a "tsk" in his throat, but couldn't suppress the interest of being outmaneuvered: "Let's fight in extreme conditions without using spiritual power another day, and see if you can still be as arrogant as you are today."

-----------------

Gen's daily routine in Rukongai consisted of teaching, protecting students learning Kido, checking the Yorozuya's affairs, training his body, and concentrating his mind. Every day was like this, requiring both his body and mind to regulate their breathing. The public bathhouses in Rukongai were all mixed-gender baths, offering no privacy whatsoever. Gen, who always preferred tranquility, carved out a spacious stone pool in his backyard, building stone walls to isolate himself from the noise and prying eyes of the outside world.

Having obtained the pool, the recipe for the medicinal bath must be carefully considered. Ordinary Death Gods only see bathing as washing away dirt and grime, but Xuan Cheng, being from the Taoist lineage, naturally knows that bathing is not just about cleansing the body.

Following an ancient recipe, he took angelica dahurica, costus root, sandalwood, agarwood, and nard and decocted them into a "Five-Spice Soup." These herbs are all excellent for warming and nourishing the meridians, promoting qi circulation and dispelling dampness. When dissolved in hot spring water, the aroma is deep and not superficial, and the medicinal properties are warm but not dry.

Saito happened to smell the fragrance and discovered this private medicinal pool, so he came to bathe there every day.

Xuan didn't bother with such a trivial matter. Instead, he took a heavy bluestone slab and used it to divide the medicine pool from the bottom to the edge, creating a central partition. The two sides of the pool were now separate and isolated, each occupying its own corner.

As night deepened, a cool evening breeze swept through the backyard fence, carrying with it a soft, rustling sound.

The two removed their outer garments, entered the water, and sat on either side of each other, leaning against the thick stone slab in the center.

The warm medicinal soup washed over his shoulders, the rich and mellow fragrance of herbs enveloping him. The fatigue of spiritual energy and the soreness of his body from the day's sparring slowly dissipated under the warm water. All around was quiet and deserted, save for the soft rustling of the evening breeze through the trees, which made the courtyard even more tranquil.

After a long silence, Saito's voice rang out first, devoid of his usual lively and flamboyant manner, deep and tinged with a hint of bewilderment, dissipating in the cool evening breeze.

"Hey, Xuan."

She looked up at the vast, dark night sky above, and through the heavy stone slabs, her voice came in a muffled tone: "Day after day, we set rules, establish systems, assign points, and maintain order here. Tell me, aren't we doing exactly the same things as those nobles in Seireitei? Building a set of rules to bind others is precisely what we used to despise the most."

This was a resistance etched into her very bones. She loathed all constraints and shackles, and her escape from the aristocratic family was a way to break free from rigid rules and the bonds of fate. But now, as she watched the Yorozuya's order become increasingly perfect and its rules and regulations clearer, she couldn't help but feel a sense of bewilderment and self-doubt.

Xuan also leaned against the cold stone slab, his eyelids slightly lowered, letting the warm medicinal soup nourish his limbs and bones. His voice was calm and clear, echoing faintly through the stone slab:

"no the same."

"The rules of Seireitei are shackles for the upper class to rule the weak. They are used to solidify class distinctions, monopolize resources, solidify the status of the nobility, and bind the lower classes, all to protect the interests of a minority."

"But the rules here are completely different."

He raised his eyes, his gaze piercing through the night to the faint outline of a settlement in the distance. His voice was steady and powerful, without a trace of fervor, yet every word resonated: "Our point system of rewarding labor, opening up cultivation courses, and taking on all sorts of odd jobs is never intended to bind anyone. It is simply to give the displaced, unarmed, and vulnerable a way to stand on their own two feet and live a stable life."

"We provide them with fishing rods and build fishing grounds, but we never cast nets to imprison them, force them to become dependent, or monopolize their opportunities. This is teaching them how to fish, not controlling them with power."

A long silence fell on the other side of the stone slab. Saito quietly looked up at the night sky, carefully pondering these words, and the confusion and self-doubt surging in his heart gradually dissipated.